Suspender-buckle



(No Model.)

W. H. GURNEY & J. P. RUMMEL.

. SUSPBNDER BUGKLB.

Patented Apr. 22, 1890.

mm W l w S FMMM Y H? 1 [w r e UNITED STATES PATENT OFEicE.

\VORTII Il. GURNEY AND JOSEPH P. RUMMEL, OF MANSFIELD, OHIO.

.SUSPENDER-BUCKLE,

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 426,376, dated April22, 1890.

Application filed January 16, 1890.' $eria1 No. 387,048. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that we, \VORTH H. GURNEY and JOSEPH P. RUMMEL, citizens ofthe United States of America, residing at Mansfield, in the county ofRichland and State of Ohio, have invented certain new and usefulImprovements in Suspender-Buckles; and we do hereby declare thefollowing to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention,such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains tomake and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings,and to letters of reference marked thereon,which form a part of thisspecification.

This invention has reference to suspenderbuckles; and it consists in theimprovements hereinafter described and set forth, whereby a simple andefficient buckle is provided that will securely clamp the strap and willnot be liable to become unfastened or loosened.

In the accompanying drawings, forming part of this specification, Figure1 is a perspective view of the improved buckle, showing the latchunfastened and the keeper swung open, and Fig. 2 is a front View showingthe same clamping a suspenderstrap.

The main frame A of the device consists of a single piece of wire bentto form the lower depending hook to and upper rectangular portionpresenting vertical parallel sides Z), the top crossbar a being formedby bending in the free ends,which are rigidly connected together by asleeve (Z, having a front depending lip e. The sides Z; are bent inwardat about theiroenters to furnish the bearing for the turned ends of arigid transverse bar 13, the upper and lower edges of which are benthorizontally outward to provide two rows of serrations f, which said barcarries.

On one of the sides b, above and below the connection of the bar 13therewith, are rigidly secured vertical loops 9, with which engage theoppositely-turned ends ll of a swinging keeper 0, made from a singlepiece of wire, and. the transverse free portion of which is contractedand adapted to be moved parallel with the bar B, as shown in Fig. 2. Thecontracted portion is slightly spread at about its center for thereception of the shank of a proj ection 2', formed. on the rear side ofa latcl1- lever D, the end of the projection being riv eted to preventits withdrawal, but permitting a pivotal movement of said lever upon thekeeper. The lever D has formed on its long end, by stamping, a lug j,which is adapted to engage with a hook a when turned parallel with thesides of the buckle, as shown in Fig. 2.

In use, the keeper being in the position represented in Fig. 1, thebuckle is adjusted upon the strap. The keeper is then closed upon thestrap against the bar B. The latch-lever D is then turned to a verticalposition, so that its upper end is forced beneath and engages the lipwhile its lower end is sprung beneath the lower hook a, the lug jresting in the spread portion of said hook, and thus furnishingadditional precaution against accidental detachment.

From the foregoing it will be readily understood that the adjustment canbe quickly made, since the latch can be easily detached, the buckleshifted, and the parts again socured. By having the latch-lever operateat right angles to the horizontal keeper a central pivotal connection issecured for said le ver, while both ends may be positively engaged andsecured.

This invention will be readily distinguished from a prior construction,where the keeper So is hung to the top bar and carries a sliding latchto engage the lower hook, for in such prior device the depending keeperhas to carry lateral portions to clamp the strap against the rigidhorizontal bar. Moreover, the position and engagement of the latch aresuch that it is liable to be caught by the garments and be detached.

Another advantage in the present construction over the constructionpreviously referred 9o to consists in the fact that the keeper isutilized as a fulcrum, while both ends of the 1atch-lever arefirmlyengaged.

lVe claim-- 1. The combination, in a Suspender-buckle, 1 of the mainframe provided with a hook and catch, a serrated cross-bar secured tosaid frame, a horizontal keeper secured to one of the vertical sidebarsof said frame, and a latch pivoted on said keeper and adapted to toobe swung to engage said hook and catch. to lock the keeper in position,substantially as set forth.

2. The combination, in a Suspender-buckle,

of the main frame provided with lower depending hook and upper lip,aserrated crossbar secured to said frame, a horizontal keeper pivotallyconnected to one of the vertical sides of said frame, and a latch-levercentrally pivoted to the keeper and adapted to be moved to have its endsengage the hook and lip, respectively, substantially as set forth.

3. The combination, in a Suspender-buckle, of the main frame formed of asingle piece of wire bent to present the lower depending hook, upperrectangular portion having its top bar formed by the inwardly-bent endsof the wire, a loop for clasping said ends and carrying a lip, aserrated cross-bar rigidly secured to the rectangular portion, a keeperpivotally secured to one of the vertical sides thereof, and alatch-levercentrally pivoted to the keeper and adapted to be turned tohave its respective ends engage the loop and hook, respectively,substantially as set forth.

4. The combination, in a suspender-buckle, of a frame having an upperlip e and a spread hook, a serrated cross-bar secured to said frame, ahorizontal keeper pivotally connected to one of the vertical sides ofsaid frame, a latch-lever centrally pivoted in said keeper and havingits lower end provided with a lug to engage the spread portion of thehook when the upper end engages with the lip, substantially as setforth.

In testimony whereof We affix our signatures in presence of twowitnesses.

XVORTH H. GURNEY. JOSEPH P. RUMMEL. Witnesses:

HOMER P. SEWELL, W. L. SEWELL.

